Moving to NOVA area and need help!

ArabianKnight

Ok, so I just finished a 6 month technical intel training course in TX and am looking for a position in the NOVA/MD area. I am "visiting"(living) with mom right now in SC and will be looking to rent a place within the next 2 weeks. I am pursuing a position in either SIGINT Analysis or SOC Analyst entry/Jr level. I am unfamiliar with the suburbs in NOVA.

Where is the "best bang for your buck" or cheap, but not a bad area? I have seen some places on rent sites around $1300 for studio/1 bed apts. Looking for month to month until a position is secured. Don't want to spend all my money as I am unemployed.

I have been applying to positions for the past few weeks and only had one I could have interviewed for but because I was out of state and could not come in right away they went with another person, bummer.

What I really need is a job using my skillset. I have 10 years Army, a BSIT, some certs, and a TS/SCI CI Poy. It seems to me many of the DOD contract positions got filled or reduced significantly in the past couple years. I remember searching for and identifying companies that had many back then that just don't seem to have them anymore?

I really prefer to figure this out on my own as I don't like asking for help, but in this case I am under some more pressure that normal. Any help would be great, thanks.

Codyy

I'm stationed at Belvoir. You could probably easily find a position here or at Meade. I'm not as familiar with the Meade area but check out Laurel & Severn. Areas around Belvoir are Kingstowne, Springfield, Lorton, & Woodbridge. I've only been here for a couple of months but Kingstowne seems the nicest/safest area IMO, plus it's right outside of a side gate. Springfield & Lorton aren't bad, also very close ..Woodbridge is probably the worst of the 4 though plenty of military I know live there, just depends on which part, the commute is worse though.

Maybe someone with more time in the area can chime in, this is just what I've observed over the last 2 months.

ramrunner800

Fairfax/Chantilly will give you good access to the Route 7 area jobs. Reston/Herndon would also be good choices. These also offer decent commutes to downtown if that's where you end up. In truth in Virginia there aren't really bad areas, just less nice ones and ones with longer commutes. The only places to avoid are perhaps certain parts of Woodbridge and Alexandria.

Contracting has pretty much been gutted by budget reductions in the last 2-ish years. There are plenty of jobs, but salaries on contracts being re-awarded right now seem to be 30-50% lower than the previous rate. 60 is the new 90. I would recommend that you make sure you know what the rebid timeline is on any job you get offered.

22306

i live in va 22306 (zip code of the area) inbox if you have questions

dmoore44

The general rule of thumb is that the closer you live to DC, the more expensive the housing. I used to live in Fairfax (where Rt. 50 and Rt. 286 intersected, near Fair Oaks Mall), and mortgages were $2,000 and up. I don't know what rent was out that way, but I'm sure it was more reasonable than the Alexandria/Arlington area. That being said, I remember the Aspen House Apartments in Alexandria had really reasonable rates (I think it was something like $1,800/mo for a 2 bed with utilities included). I used to live in Alexandria near Mark Center, and paid $1,800 for a 2 bed/2 bath without utilities, but it was a good area and close to 395. A buddy of mine lives in the Springfield/Kingstowne area, and it's a really nice area (can be a little pricey, but deals can be found).

As far as safety goes, if you're going to to live in NOVA, avoid the area around Huntington Metro.

nachodba

Agreed on avoiding the Huntington Metro Area, although there are a few gated communities that are safe and provide shuttle service directly to the metro - PM me if you want to know more). Alexandria, Chantilly, Leesburg are nice. I can't speak on any other locations however.

networker050184

Check out Sterling as well. Little more affordable than Herdon, Ashburn, Leesburg and the same vicinity.

richnewman

This area has a high COL, so money doesn't go that far. I was opposed to roommates when I moved here but it hasn't been bad, but now I have my own place. Roommates are probably the easiest/cheapest way to get a shorter lease or month to month without paying for that freedom. A lot of people rent out above their garage, basements, or turn their house into sort of a duplex type place. Some are nicer than others.

There are not-so-nice places in Alexandria too. If you don't want to pay much but be close enough to interview, look west of DC like people are saying: Chantilly, Fairfax, Herndon, Reston, etc. You could also look up cities on City-Data.com and see crime rates, and/or look up neighborhoods on SpotCrime.com.

22306

that awkward moment when people are telling others to avoid your area because its not safe lol

ArabianKnight

Thanks for input everyone! When I find a job I will likely move right on top of it if I can afford to. I hate commuting, I have a cat too and many places want payment for pets. What is a good management company, I have noticed many apts have the same managers.

ArabianKnight

So I am looking at places in central DC, what locations or apt complexes are bad or you should stay away from. Rent does not appear too bad with a studio and I see it way higher for bedrooms!

jmritenour

My best advice - get as close to metro rail access as you can afford . You can get pretty much anywhere you need to in and around DC via Metro. The Silver Line just opened up going to Tysons Corner, and will be extending out to Ashburn in 4-5 years.

Avoid anything that will involve driving on 66 during rush hour for your own sanity. I live further out than I'd like, and plan to move closer once I can sell my house, but 66 is a nightmare and gets worse by the day. I've switched to jumping off at exit 44, and hopping on the VRE train to get to Alexandria. It's a much more relaxing ride than trying to deal with the 66 gridlock.

higherho

I lived a mile out of Old town Alexandria for a year (right off south 1 and a mile away from the Huntington metro) and now I've been living in Germantown MD (decently close to the shady grove metro). My best advice for you is live near a metro or the ability to take a bus to your work. If you can avoid driving I HIGHLY recommend doing it. DC driving is a train wreck and can cause a lot of stress in your commute.

ArabianKnight

Thanks, I plan to live right on top of where I work as to not cause any headache. I hate commuting when I was in Cleveland and that was nothing!